Support your local heroes

I ran the Harewood 10k today, lovely route around the edges of the estate. I dipped under 50 minutes and as I ran a long way on Friday I'm happy with that. Trouble was the start was delayed by 15 minutes as they couldn't get all the cars parked. I was pretty cold when we headed off, not ideal. After the finish it took an hour and 45 to get out onto the roads, the event staff didn't bother directing traffic they wandered off. Whilst we were running they were "marshalling" but that seemed to often involve texting their mates, this all took the shine off the event a bit. At the end I got a medal, a bar of chocolate and an electronic time texted to me. It cost me £14 quid as an early bird special or £20 on the day, not the most I have paid for a 10k but well in the top quarter.

This was a largish scale "charity" event run for Age uk. I guess to make a good few quid for their doubtless important work, but I won't run it again. Taking longer to leave than it takes to run and a messy start mean I will be shopping around.

I'm going back to the small scale events run by local running clubs were you get the personal touch. Marshalls that egg you on and share your pain, a bottle of beer or a bag full of chocolate at the end and your time is usually online by mid afternoon. More of a community event than a Take That concert in tone and for me all the better for it, for that.

My own club Nidd Valley Road Runners runs one, it keeps the club alive financially and there is usually a few hundred quid left over that finds its way to the local hospice. A few quid of mine usually finds it way there too as I can think of nothing better than looking after people who have little left to look forward to but deserve a decent end.

How did we get to the point where so many seem to want TOWIE style events? All brash bling that chug into your conscious. Events seem as interested in parting you from your hard earned as delivering a quality event. I suppose I'm out of touch, these events are certainly popular especially if you include the ToughGuyWarriorMudders that abound. Money alone won't get you a place in some events. In London or at the start of the Great North Run you takes your chance and pays your money.

Yes I think I will support a few more esoteric low key events for the rest of this year and keep a few community clubs alive and running and choose when and where and which charities I support for myself.